By Faith Moses Chose...

Reading: Hebrews chapter 11 verses 23-28

• Moses, who lived to be 120 years of age,

• His life has three distinct divisions - each lasting 40 years.

• 40 years as Prince of Egypt;

• 40 years as a Shepherd in the Desert.

• 40 years as a Prophet and Deliverer of God’s people.

Question: What was the secret of his greatness?

Answer: His faith!

• Three times in our short reading this morning that truth is emphasised;

• Verse 24: “By faith Moses…”

• Verse 27: “By faith Moses…”

• Verse 28: “By faith Moses…”

Ill:

The statements below are taken from actual insurance accident claims forms.

• I left for work this morning at 7am as usual when I collided straight into a bus.

• The bus was 5 minutes early. (i.e. It was clearly the bus’s fault!).

• The accident happened because I had one eye on the truck in front, one eye on the pedestrian, and the other on the car behind. (i.e. Clearly God’s fault – more eyes needed!)

• No one was to blame for the accident but…

• It would never have happened if the other driver had been alert (i.e. Guess who he is blaming?)

• I pulled away from the side of the road,

• Glanced at my mother in law and headed over the embankment (i.e. M.I.L. fault!).

• The pedestrian had no idea which way to run so I ran over him.

• The guy was all over the road. I had to swerve a number of times before I hit him.

We live in a culture of blame instead of personal responsibility.

• The bible is different in that it very much supports personal responsibility;

• For the choices and decisions we make.

Quote: Eleanor Roosevelt said,

• “One’s philosophy is not best expressed in words.

• It is expressed in the choices one makes.

• In the long run, we shape our lives and we shape ourselves.

• The process never ends until we die.

• And the choices we make are ultimately our responsibility.”

• In our passage this morning we get a glimpse into the example of Moses and his parents.

• They made certain choices because of faith.

• And those choices would shape the rest of their lives.

(1). Faith chooses courageously (vs 23).

“By faith Moses' parents hid him for three months after he was born, because they saw he was no ordinary child, and they were not afraid of the king's edict”.

• The story of Moses parents is found in Exodus chapter 2 verses 1-10.

• The King (the Pharaoh) had issued a decree;

• That all baby boys born to the Hebrew (Jewish) people should be killed at birth.

• He wanted to control the amount of Hebrews in his land.

• If it was not for the faith of his parents, then Moses who alongside Abraham:

• Is the most important figure of the Old Testament would not have survived infancy.

• They managed to hide the Baby Moses for three months;

• Before arranging (use that term loosely);

• Arranged for him to be found by the kings daughter &brought up in the safety of the palace.

Note:

• The writer of this letter is led by the Holy Spirit to draw our attention;

• To their faith of Moses’ parents in contrast to the fear that dominated their community.

• Quote:

• “Biblical faith chooses courageously, makes brave choices, It doesn’t give in to fear!”

• Moses’ parents could have reasoned, as did most other parents at that time;

• That it would be better to play it safe,

• The child would be sacrificed so that the rest of the family would survive.

• They knew to keep the child endangered the whole family.

But they believed that he was a special child:

• A child for whom God had a plan and a purpose;

• And so with sanctified imagination (great phrase I once heard George Verwer use);

• With sanctified imagination

• Their faith led them to make a brave choice concerning their new born baby.

Ill:

• Their was a man who bragged that he had cut off the tail of a man-eating lion;

• Using only his pen-knife.

• Asked why he hadn’t cut off the lion’s head,

• The man replied: "Someone had already done that."

All of us as Christians are required to ‘Walk by faith’:

• When was the last time you stepped out in faith;

• And did something risky, challenging or just different?

• Too many Christians are stuck in their comfort zone?

• Ill: Like unfit people who want to get in shape but can’t manage to get out of their arm-chairs.

Ill:

• If you are waiting for that friend, neighbour or family member;